Test Your ISP's Video Quality With YouTube Tool

It's super annoying when all you want to do is watch a simple YouTube video, and it's taking forever to load. When this happens, you might be quick to blame the Google-owned video giant, but you might instead want to direct your rage towards your Internet service provider.

But how are you supposed to know, exactly, whether your ISP is capable of delivering crisp HD-quality video or crappy low-definition performance? Google has the answer. The Web giant on Thursday released a new tool called the Video Quality Report, which lets you find out how your ISP's video-streaming capabilities stack up to other service providers in your area.

The report measures the speed at which video travels from YouTube's servers to your screen, and rates ISPs on three levels: HD Verified, Standard Definition, or Lower Definition. The ratings are based on anonymized data from billions of YouTube videos watched across thousands of ISPs.

Providers will receive a top-notch "HD Verified" rating if they can "consistently deliver HD video, a resolution of at least 720p, without buffering or interruptions." A Standard Definition rating means the provider is delivering videos at a resolution of at least 360p, with "moderate" load times. Those delivering videos at resolutions lower than 360p that are slow to load and frequently buffer will receive the "Lower Definition" rating.

"If you're regularly seeing videos buffer, this report can give you a better idea of why, as well as tips to make YouTube play better," YouTube Product Manager Jay Akkad wrote in a blog post Thursday.

The tool comes shortly after Google took Netflix's side in its peering spat with ISPs like Comcast and Verizon. The head of network engineering for Google Fiber argued that ISPs should not charge for peering agreements - which provide Internet services a direct connection to ISP's servers, speeding service - because free access is a "win-win" for both sides.

"It's good for content providers because they can deliver really high-quality streaming video to their customers," Google's Jeffrey Burgan wrote. "It's good for us because it saves us money (it's easier to transport video traffic from a local server than it is to transport it thousands of miles). But most importantly, we do this because it gives Fiber users the fastest, most direct route to their content. That way, you can access your favorite shows faster."

For more on the new Video Quality Report tool, check out the video below. Also check out PCMag's roundup of The Fastest ISPs of 2013.

Angela has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a reporter for SC Magazine, covering everything related to hackers and computer security. Angela has also written for The Northern Valley Suburbanite in New Jersey, The Dominion Post in West Virginia, and the Uniontown-Herald Standard in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of West Virginia University's Perely Isaac Reed School of Journalism.
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